Freudian perspectives within psychology host two approaches to change within human behavior. Primarily, Freud proposed the idea that personality is developed in an individual’s childhood in a number of stages, and not advancing through these steps led to the impediment of one’s personality and identity. However, the manifestation of change as a result of psychoanalysis is characterized differently. Change that occurs during psychoanalysis was often defined by Freud as having appeared through an individual’s unconsciousness (Tust, 2020). As a result, change may occur at the resolution or acknowledgment of a conflict between the conscious and unconscious.
This is a striking difference from more modern and developing change theories, such as the social cognitive theory that exists as an extension of the social learning theory. The theory suggests that change occurs regardless of age, though childhood events may impact an individual’s identity more so than events in their adult life. Although people are a result of their environment and social interactions, social cognitive theory also notes that personal agency and autonomy are also vital in development. As such, the theories vary in the ways that they approach change to be external or internal. Freudian psychoanalysis focuses on the emergence of the unconscious while social cognitive theory observes the effects of social and environmental factors. The fundamental aspect of my perception of change is in recognizing that identities have aspects that are and are not susceptible to change. As such, my own personal idea of change takes aspects from both theories. This includes the Freudian perception of the unconscious invisibly affecting our everyday lives but also the social cognitive theory factor that people are altered by their environments.
Reference
Tust, A. (2020, Oct. 6). The influence of psychoanalysis on the field of psychology. Verywell Mind. Web.